Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim
1. Opening
Neurobiologically and psychologically, humans are unique beings. Unlike angels who were created without desires, or animals who are driven solely by survival instinct, humans are equipped with both ‘Aql and Shahwah.[intellect][desire] When Allah SWT offered a great responsibility called _Al-Amānah_—the freedom to choose and bear the burden of Divine law—other creatures trembled in fear. Yet humans boldly—even recklessly—accepted it.
إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنْسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا
“Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man undertook to bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.” (QS. Al-Aḥzāb: 72)
This Trust is a double-edged sword. If intellect controls desire, our rank soars beyond the angels. Conversely, if desire buries intellect, we fall lower than animals and inanimate objects.
According to some scholars, the Caliph ‘Alī bin Abī Ṭālib said:
إِنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رَكَّبَ فِي الْمَلَائِكَةِ عَقْلًا بِلَا شَهْوَةٍ وَرَكَّبَ فِي الْبَهَائِمِ شَهْوَةً بِلَا عَقْلٍ وَرَكَّبَ فِي بَنِي آدَمَ كِلَيْهِمَا فَمَنْ غَلَبَ عَقْلُهُ شَهْوَتَهُ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَمَنْ غَلَبَتْ شَهْوَتُهُ عَقْلَهُ فَهُوَ شَرٌّ مِنَ الْبَهَائِمِ
“Indeed, Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla installed in angels intellect without desire, and installed in animals desire without intellect, and installed in the children of Adam both. So whoever’s intellect overcomes his desire, he is better than the angels; and whoever’s desire overcomes his intellect, he is worse than animals.”
2. Lessons and Message
Imagine a metaphorical story very close to our reality: A wealthy father made an offer to his children.To the first and second child, the father said: “You stay at the shop and help me. You’ll get a secure fixed salary, a house, and I’ll arrange your marriage right away.” This is the safe choice, like the path of the angels or other creatures who obey within their comfort zone. But to the third child, the father gave a huge challenge: “If you dare to go abroad, study hard, sweat it out, and return with a Doctorate, I won’t just give you a house. I’ll write 500 hectares of land in your name! An astonishing reward!”[PhD]
The third child agreed. He took the risk because he was enticed by that enormous prize.Here’s the funny, yet ironic, part… Imagine this third child departs for the West. Instead of studying in the library, he’s busy gaming, hanging out in cafés, squandering the money sent to him on partying, and getting caught in hedonistic circles. His studies fall apart. When time’s up, he comes home empty-handed. No diploma, no knowledge, only a pile of debt and ruined morals. As he steps into the house, his father looks at him with a shattered gaze. His siblings who once chose to stay at the shop—who were considered “just average”—are now established, respected, and secure. Meanwhile, the third child who carried great expectations is now at the lowest point. There’s no middle ground for him [no “healing” or compromise]. He has failed completely. His courage to take on a great challenge turned into the deepest disgrace because of his own negligence. How tragic it is to see a being designed to soar high into the heavens, piercing the Throne, instead choosing to crawl in the filthy sewers of desire.
We are that third child! We are the Banī Basyar who volunteered to bear the Trust on earth . If we fulfill that promise with _taqwā_: We rise to become the highest of creatures, surpassing the purity of angels—because we worship through the struggle against desire, while angels have no desire.If we betray that Trust: We fall lower than stones and animals. Animals do not enter Hell for sinning because they have no intellect. But humans? We have intellect yet act like animals, so our place is in the lowest pit of Hell.
3. Conclusion And Closing
My blessed brothers and sisters, life provides no “middle path” for humans. We cannot choose to be just average like rocks or trees. The moment we are born human, there are only two options: Become super-noble above the angels, or become super-debased below animals.
Let us look at ourselves in the mirror. Today, are we making ourselves worthy of His “500 hectares” of Paradise, or are we registering ourselves to become creatures more useless than inanimate objects?
May Allah SWT always strengthen our intellect to guide our desires, and make us His servants who return to the Hereafter bearing a “degree of honor” in His sight.
والله أعلم بالصواب
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmaullahi Wabarakatuh.
ِAbu Sultan Al-Qadrie
